hallway: love the solitude embodied here
Chicago area interior designer Jessie Davidson is one of my design idols. Her homes exude elegance (and I love her take on color) but even better, they feel like real homes, homes where kids (and dogs) are welcome. Whenever I’m ready to take on a new project at home, I refer back to her online portfolio for inspiration. My favorite has to be Jessie’s house. It has such a Southern feel to it: the layout evokes New Orleans shotgun style, and the interiors, well, they’re simply perfect. I feel a sense of calm just looking at the them. (Jessie and her home are also featured in the Jan/Feb issue of Victoria Magazine: of course, I ran out to get a copy the instant I found out.) I hope you enjoy this peek inside her house, and scroll down for my second “Getting to Know” feature with Jessie!
kitchen
living room
she can definitely teach me a thing or two about keeping orchids alive
powder room
street view (complete with gas lamps)
Getting to Know: Jessie Davidson
I start my day …. I start my day at 5am because I am a “morning person” and I absolutely have to get an hour of exercise in before I start my business day. I also like to take my dog to the park so she can run AND I love to eat breakfast! So, when I refuse to meet anyone before 9:00am it is not because I’m sleeping in! Early morning is my “sacred” time.
Inspired by …. I am constantly inspired by nature, the ever-changing personality of Lake Michigan, our four seasons, artists, writers, and architects to name just a few. I have a photographer friend who says he can get inspiration from a puddle of water on the sidewalk! I completely understand that.
Favorite place …. I think my favorite place is my home. I also LOVE Paris, and New York, and Camden, Maine and that wonderful part of the country where Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee come together……now THAT is a totally inspiring part of our beautiful country!
Never without …. I am never without fine bed linens, fluffy towels, great smelling soap, dark chocolate, dry white wine, and my iphone and ipad. And, I am rarely without my sidekick, Phoebe!
In 2011, I hope to …. In 2011 I plan to take on more challenging work with clients who have a sense of breaking the rules; and, I also plan to hone my kayaking skills.
images courtesy of jessie davidson
note: jessie also curates juicy finds: an online boutique filled with antiques and custom pieces for garden & home.
look 2
Simple lines and bold colors define Albino’s pre-fall collection. I quite like it, especially the mustardy yellow hat and red tights. See the full show at Style.com.
look 3
look 4
image credits: photos courtesy of albino for style.com
Inevitably, I spend January in full-on self improvement mode, and this year is no different. Perfecting my organization system is a perennial goal: I am constantly jotting lists of blog ideas and plotting out my week on scrap pieces of paper, but would love to have a prettier option. These personalized index cards, from Inkello, are right up my alley. List making has never looked so good. (Choose between lined or days of the week: sold in sets of 50.)
images courtesy of inkello
look 1
Minimal, minimal, minimal with delightful splashes of color. Two things I’d like to point out: one, you notice the person when clothes are simple like this, and two, that yellow handbag is fantastic! (I really need/want a new handbag.) See the full Jil Sander pre-fall collection at Vogue.com.
look 6
look 20
look 21
image credits: photos courtesy of jil sander for vogue.com
philo apple farm, june 2010
California artist Rae Dunn is perhaps best known for her lovely ceramic range (an elegant minimalist’s delight) and her artful living style, as featured in the latest around Fog Linen. I’ve been following her for years now, finding myself drawn to her approach to simple living and her impeccable eye. My favorite thing about Rae, though, has to be her blog, for it’s there that she shares “Fridays from the Sketchbook”, a weekly drawing from her sketchbook(s). (I had an “aha” moment in October when I learned that she was responsible for the line drawings for some of my favorite pieces at Small Square Design.) I eagerly await each Friday’s entry, curious to see what she’ll be chronicling: a travel memory, a favorite possession, or some quotidian delight. Some of my favorites are shown here (I’ve added the month they were featured in case you want to go back + do “research”):
chair, october 2009
le labo rose 31, november 2010*
sardines, july 2009
wardrobe, september 2009
I thought it might be nice to learn a little more about Rae, and she’s graciously agreed to be the first to answer my “Getting to Know ___” questions. So without further ado,
Getting to Know: Rae Dunn
I start my day …. i start my day with a VERY large cup of tea (that magically appears on my bedside table every morning . . . thanks to husband) and then either a yoga class or a run. i like to ease into the day slowly with a clear head. my idea of hell is having to wake up to an alarm clock (i don’t even own one) and rushing to work.
Inspired by …. i am inspired by simplicity, unexpected beauty (as in a pile of garbage, rusty bottle caps and washers on the street, found items, . . . ), nature, dreams, old weathered things, linen, wire, life, . . .
Favorite place …. my favorite place is any flea market in the south of france (or any flea market, really) and my home office, which is filled with my favorite objects, books, art supplies, music, and a huge desk.
Never without …. i am never without a sketchbook, a black uni-ball micro pen (the ONLY pen i will write with) and wilma.
In 2011, I hope to …. in 2011 i hope to WORK LESS + LIVE MORE. my goals are to live with more intention, to feed my creative soul, to try new things, to slow down.
Thanks, Rae! I’d like to add that you have excellent taste in pens, and a quick hello to sweet Wilma, too :)
all images courtesy of rae dunn *including one of the best scent EVER
